EXCLUSIVE: Downton Abbey star lands role on 'spectacular' new series set in the golden age of steam trains
Hugh Bonneville will take viewers high in the air to offer a 'fresh perspective' on steam travel which he said had been a 'great joy' to work on
Take a memorable journey back in time to the golden age of steam with actor Hugh Bonneville along for the ride. The Downton Abbey star narrates four-part series Great British Train Journeys From Above, in which drones follow the engines from the skies.
It covers Scotland's Jacobite Railway, The Ffestiniog Railway in Wales, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the West Somerset Railway. Hugh, 61, has long been a fan of steam trains and is a patron of the Heritage Railway Association so was an ideal choice for the Channel 4 show to celebrate 200 years of train travel.
He says: "Narrating Great British Train Journeys From Above has been a great joy, being able to offer a fresh perspective on the remarkable history that shaped this nation, and to enjoy our country's glorious landscapes. This series is a front-row seat to the magic of steam travel, from a few hundred feet in the air."
One of the star's best-known roles is as the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey. The ITV drama is set in the early 20th century when steam trains were the primary mode of distance travel for the upper class. The opening scenes actually feature a steam train, which was filmed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, near where the fictional estate lies.
Pickering Station was used to represent King's Cross station, with computer generated images used to make it more plausible.
Hugh also voices an engine called Merlin in the 2017 film Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor - the thirteenth feature-length special based on the beloved children's TV series. He said it was a dream come true, describing the experience as "a big thrill for a little boy in a grown-up body".
The Jacobite Railway is now famous across the globe for being the real Hogwarts Express as it genius charges through the Highlands to famous landmarks from both the Harry Potter movies and the Jacobite Rebellion. In Wales, the cameras will follow The Mountain Spirit as it travels through Snowdonia along The Ffestiniog Railway in Eryri National Park, revealing a fascinating chapter in Wales' industrial revolution.
In keeping with this year's Rail200 celebrations, two episodes celebrate our best known pioneering railway engineers - George and Robert Stephenson, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The Stephensons are showcased in Yorkshire, with the episode taking the audience through the county 's iconic moorlands on The North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering. Its route was designed by the brothers and the programme tells the story not just of the railway, but of Locomotion No. 1, the very first steampowered passenger railway.
Moving south to the West Somerset Railway, viewers will follow the rolling hills of the Quantocks and Exmoor National Park, to uncover the secrets of its engineer Brunel. Exciting new drone technology captures the beauty from a bird's eye perspective, which has never been done before.
The aim of the series, which will air later this autumn, is to celebrate Britain's pioneering efforts to transform not just travel, but industry, trade and communication, with these revolutionary machines. And it is hoped that viewers will revel in the romance and the thrill of steam train travel.
One show source says: "This series is a true celebration of our railway heritage and the role it played in shaping modern Britain. Sit back, soak up the scenery, and enjoy these breathtaking journeys like you've never seen them before."
Series producer and director Matt Cottingham said filming the journeys were challenging but the production team were thrilled with the incredible result they got. "We're incredibly proud to bring these iconic journeys to life in such a visually spectacular way. The thrill of this project was directing in real time, tackling short and unpredictable filming windows to capture the steam locomotives thundering through these landscapes.
"Working with some of the best drone pilots in the industry, and pushing the boundaries of aerial technology, we set out to choreograph a fresh visual approach to telling historical narratives and immersing the audience in the romance of a steam train journey." - Great British Train Journeys From Above, Channel 4, this autumn.
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